If You Were Flying
by EvilRegalOncer
Summary: Aurora gave Maleficent back her wings. But she also makes the fairy's heart soar in ways she never expected. And now, at long last, they have the chance to go flying together.


**DISCLAIMER: Don't own.**

**Oh my goodness I love this movie! Everything about it was just perfect. I'm sort of on the fence about Aurora and Maleficent; part of me ships it and part of me likes it as mother/daughter. Ehhh. Also, yes, I did steal the title of this from the "Eragon" soundtrack. I thought it fit. **

**Anyways, this is just me getting my feet wet. Enjoy!**

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It's odd to have Aurora so close after so very many years of solitude. Even in the time before the girl's sixteenth birthday, Maleficent never allowed her young companion to be too near, struggling in vain to keep the stony shell she'd so carefully constructed around her heart. Now, however, after suffering the loss of her precious Aurora, the faerie gladly allows the princess as much proximity as she desires.

Maleficent keeps a watchful eye on the girl as she bounds ahead on the path, wonder making her beautiful face glow. Diaval swoops in and lands on her shoulder, glossy head cocked to one side as he caws at the fae folk surrounding them. Aurora turns and gently rubs one finger over his inky feathers before looking back over her shoulder. Her smile grows, and as Maleficent approaches she cocks a slim eyebrow, silently wondering at the change. Aurora responds immediately: "Your wings suit you, Godmother. Even in my wildest dreams I never imagined how magnificent they are! Although I did expect them to be black."

Has she become so very easy to read, the fairy idly wonders, that her little beastie can tell what she is thinking without any words at all? Once upon a time that concept would have frightened her to her core, but now she accepts it rather readily. They share True Love, after all.

Oh, True Love. Maleficent had felt it once before, with Stefan before his greed and lust for power had consumed him, but whatever affection she once held for the peasant-turned-king was nothing compared to the burning hatred that replaced it. After that she had bitterly scorned the idea of any kind of love at all, but especially love powerful enough to break curses. It was for that very reason, after all, that Maleficent chose to give Aurora that particular hope for herself (such as it was). At the time, she had never believed the curse could break, for True Love was simply a fairytale for foolish children.

She'd never been happier to be proven wrong.

"Godmother?"

Maleficent blinks, snapping out of her thoughts and focusing her multicolored eyes on Aurora. "Yes?"

"You looked so far away just now. Where were you?" Aurora lifts a hand, gently curling her palm around her guardian's cheek, and Maleficent allows herself to lean into the contact just a tiny bit.

"Forgive me, little beastie. My mind was wandering. It has been…..quite a busy week," she replies with a small quirk of full lips.

"I still can't believe you woke me," Aurora said softly, thumb gently tracing the sharp line of one cheekbone. "When I was asleep…..it was dark and I was alone and all I wanted was you. I wanted you to come and save me. And then you did."

"I will always save you. As long as I am alive, you will never have to fear. This I swear."

"I know," Aurora whispers, throwing her arms around Maleficent's waist and holding tight. "Thank you. I love you."

Aurora is warm and solid and she smells like summer wind and flowers. Maleficent is still unaccustomed to Aurora's embraces, frequent as they are, but she sets a hand on the girl's back and bends her neck slightly so that Aurora's head is tucked snugly beneath her chin. She feels the blonde's hands come up and gently stroke her wings, fingertips trailing over the feathers in an oddly soothing motion, and seemingly of their own accord the fairy's eyes slide shut. She has to fight the urge to purr like a contented cat.

"Maleficent?" Aurora says softly after what seems like hours. Maleficent pulls back slightly in order to see the princess' face, and there is an odd yet familiar leaping sensation in her chest as she looks down into radiant dark eyes.

"What is it?" she murmurs softly, unconsciously drawing her companion closer. Aurora bites her lower lip.

"Please….don't ever leave me."

Maleficent blinks in utter surprise. The thought of straying from Aurora's side has never even crossed her mind. "Why would I do that? I promised you that I would protect you as long as I lived, and although I managed to break my own curse, that promise still stands." A hint of a snarl emerges through her next words, an edge of bitterness that will always be there in the memories of the first human she ever knew. "If anyone makes the mistake of harming you, it will be their last."

Aurora grins brightly, and the fairy's heart swells, threatening to burst from her ribcage. An abrupt panic grips her—she cannot love again, not like this, not the princess—but then Aurora is on her tiptoes, her soft, warm pink lips pressed to Maleficent's, and Maleficent is powerless to resist. Her entire body shudders with emotion, feelings that she'd long ago given up on surging like wildfire, and she curls her hands around Aurora's arms and clings for dear life.

When they break apart, the blonde princess is practically glowing, and Maleficent smiles a true smile for the first time that she can remember in years. Aurora's eyes widen slightly as she breathes, "You're so beautiful, Maleficent….ever since I can remember I've wanted to see you smile."

The fairy blinks, surprised. "Have you?"

"Yes. Diaval told me that he never saw you do it, and…..I thought maybe you still weren't happy."

Maleficent is quiet for a moment, absently playing with the ends of Aurora's curly hair. "It's been a long time since I was happy," she answers honestly, looking down into a warm blue gaze. "But with you…..I'm remembering how. Even before you gave me back my wings, may I add." She unfurls the appendages from her back, noticing how the princess gazes at them with awe. "Speaking of which, there is something I have been meaning to ask you, and given what has just passed between us, I am all the more eager to do so. The fae folk….well, as you once noted, most of us have wings. Yet when we fly, we often do so alone or in family groups. It is unusual for unrelated creatures to fly together unless…" Maleficent clears her throat, unable to keep her normally bloodless cheeks from coloring just a bit. "Unless we fly with someone who has great meaning to us. Therefore, my little beastie…" She pauses, smiles softly at the expression on Aurora's face and leans down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Will you do me the honor of sharing the skies with me?"

"Oh, Maleficent," Aurora gasps softly, eyes glowing, "I'd love to, but I—I don't have wings…."

"I assure you, mine are more than strong enough for us both. If you have no objections, of course."

"I'm not too heavy?" the princess asks, and Maleficent can't help the affectionate smirk that crosses her face.

"You insult me. My wings have never once let me down, and nor will they ever fail you. In fact, they belong to both of us, and if you ever need them you need only ask. Now." She quirks an eyebrow. "Shall we fly?"

Aurora's answer is a brilliant, unrestrained smile and a hug, one that Maleficent returns without reserve. The blonde princess pulls back, shyly looking up at her longtime guardian, and Maleficent can't help but smile gently as she takes Aurora's hand. "Don't be afraid. I won't let you fall."

"I'm never afraid with you." Aurora laces their fingers together, and Maleficent feels as though she could fly to the ends of the known world. Together they walk to the edge of a nearby bluff, and as Maleficent unfurls her great wings, Aurora grabs onto her and holds tight. The fairy pauses, golden-green eyes locking with ocean blue.

"Are you ready, little beastie?"

"Yes!" exclaims the princess, and Maleficent laughs.

"Then let us fly. Together."

"Together," Aurora agrees breathlessly, and then they dive from the cliff.


End file.
